By TWV Team
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga will seek to have six Iranian nationals accused of trafficking narcotic drugs valued at approximately Ksh 8 billion detained for 30 days to allow detectives to complete investigations.
The six, Jasem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Imran Baloch, Hassan Baloch, Rahim Baksh, and Imtiyaz Daryayi, were arraigned before the Shanzu Law Courts, where the magistrate ruled that they be held in custody until Tuesday, 28 October, pending further directions.
During their court appearance, the prosecution requested additional time to verify the credentials of the court interpreter and to appoint an independent interpreter to ensure fair proceedings.
The DPP is expected to apply for the suspects’ continued detention as investigations into the alleged offences proceed under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994.
The six were arrested on 24 October at Kilindini Port following a multi-agency operation that led to the seizure of 769 packages of crystalline substances suspected to be synthetic narcotic drugs, weighing 1,035.986 kilogrammes. According to the police and the Ministry of Defence, the consignment consisted of methamphetamine, a powerful recreational stimulant that enables users to stay awake and active for extended periods with little need for sleep. The drug, which is highly addictive and dangerous to one’s health, is illegal in many countries.
The operation followed intelligence shared by the Kenyan Navy regarding a suspicious “dark vessel” operating in the Indian Ocean without proper identification. While police confirmed that the consignment had been secured as evidence, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen stated that it would soon be destroyed to demonstrate Kenya’s commitment to combating drug trafficking.
The drugs were aboard a non-registered dhow codenamed IGOR, which was seized approximately 630 kilometres east of the Mombasa Coast.
The stateless dhow, which had been under the watch of international drug enforcement agencies, had repeatedly evaded prior crackdowns until its interception by the Kenyan Navy. “The Kenya Navy successfully intercepted a vessel of interest codenamed IGOR, suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking,” said Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa, Deputy Commander of the Kenya Navy and leader of the multi-agency team.
In an operation codenamed BAHARI SAFI 2025.01, conducted under the Safe Seas Africa (SSA) Programme, the Kenyan Navy deployed the ship KNS Shupavu, which intercepted the stateless vessel.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles and the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar and Seychelles, both of which provided maritime surveillance through Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
KNS Shupavu escorted the intercepted vessel, along with its crew, to Mombasa Port, where it was handed over to the multi-agency team for further investigation and prosecution of the six suspects. Court warrants for further inspection and testing have already been obtained.
The Ministry of Defence said the operation showcased the commitment of Kenya’s law enforcement agencies to combating transnational crime within the Western Indian Ocean.
Others involved in the operation included officers from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
